Want to buy Bluebird

[John McGinnis]

Once upon a time... Buying a Wanderlodge is a lot like buying your
first home. First only look at Birds within your means, if you're on
a beer budget don't pull out the Champagne glasses. There are a lot
of similarities with the two purchases. Don't even look at birds out
of your budget range, by doing so will only lead to disapointment.
Next you would not buy a home without a home inspection, so you
should get a Pre-Delivery Inspection on your potential Bird. Find
someone in your area or the area of the bird who is knowledgable on
that particular coach and hire them to go over the systems with you.
This will let you know what works, and what needs repairs or
replacement, and a PDI is a great negoiaging tool and you have
leverage when it comes to writing the check. Another issue; you
would not buy a house without an appraisal, nor would a lender loan
money on a home without a certified appraisal, so get a certified
appraisal on any potential purchase. A PDI & an appraisal are not
the same thing they serve two differnt purposes. Do not rely on NADA
or Ebay as reliable sources of value, nor the past sells by desperate
sellers. None of these are true representations of real value. NADA
may have had only one subject sold in the last quarter and that coach
could be the best coach on the worst day of public auction with no
competitive bidders. That is not a true representation of value, you
want to pay a fair market value and get a coach that is worth 100% or
more of what you paid. Another reason for the appraisal is if by
chance you are able to find the once in the lifetime bargain you
would want to insure your coach for it's true replacement value. A
200K dollar coach bought for a 100K and insured for 100K then written
off as a total lose, the insurance company will not pay the
difference in value, so get it insured for the full value, the only
way to do this is with a certified appraisal.
Financing: DON'T do it! Can't write a check wait until you can. A
loan payment on a Bird is no fun when you don't have the money to buy
fuel for the fun trips or the extra cash to make upgrades and repairs
when needed.
Last thing you should know about Bluebirds, it is at times easier &
quicker to get a divorce then it is to sell a Bluebird, so know what
you are getting into and be prepared to make the commitment because
it is most of the time for the long haul. Good luck & happy hunting.
John 88FC35 Louisville, KY/Jeffersonville, IN